Karnare, Karlovo, Kalofer Day 202 and 203 30th and 31st October 2018
If I stayed any length of time in Bulgaria without some check on my love of food the consequences would not be good – cheese, meat, pastry, cheese, meat, bread, This morning our homemade brekky said it all. Firstly a traditional pasta dish with cheese in the pasta and additional as a side dish. Followed by Banitsa for lunch.
Breakfast pasta – a new taste. The pasta was soft and light, the cheesy buttery coating a delicious addition. I read that this can also be eaten with sugar. The Banitsa came later after our walk in the park and while they were frozen-shop-bought Banitsa, they were – even to the Bulgarian taste – declared quite good.
We decided on a morning walk and lay day. Such a lovely peaceful place it seemed a shame to go sightseeing afar and miss soaking up our lovely surrounds – and we had had another late night! The weather prediction was high 20’s maybe even 30C so a morning walk and an afternoon layabout.
A beautiful walk, one of the best – even with quite a bit of “up”. The White River Eco Trail was one of the most sensitive to the environment and well designed we visited in Bulgaria. The walk in was along a well-made flat path lined with autumn colours, following the river. On through a range of forest and mountain terrain, along rivers and up cliffs.
The trail was not an easy thing but well worth the clambering up steep stone steps and over rickety wooden suspension bridges. At points along the way were boards with information and quizzes about the flora and fauna – aimed at children but interesting for adults as well.
We read much about over-tourism in places throughout Europe – we have been fortunate to have many experiences like today where we met not single other walker, the trail was ours for the morning,
After an afternoon relax dinner was the promised and much anticipated Nadia-made Bulgarian Moussaka. Quite different and quite delicious. Potato instead of aubergine, less cheesy, not so fatty tasting. We all agreed it was delicious. No comment from Lubo – who had told us you would marry the person who made the perfect Moussaka!
31st October 2018
Next morning we left Dara and for the last time bumped our way back over the pot-holedl, rutted and winding road towards the K Towns – Karnare, Karlovo and Kalofer. A day of exploring the life of Hristo Botev one of the famous Bulgarian revolutionary figures and a well loved Poet.
Beginning in Kalofer, his birthplace home to a yet another huge block statue set on the hillside. In addition to the statue of Botev the town displays his childhood home surrounded by gardens and a museum of the history of the revolutation and Botev’s life. In preparation for the National Day the following day the gardens and wrought-iron fences were being carefully, painstakingly cleaned and prepared.
Inside the museum displays included the women who were fellow revolutionaries, family and supporters. In the gardens was placed a large statue of his mother with a tear in her eye,
